Snow-melting apparatus



H. E. OLSEN ELTING AP Apr. w, 1923.

Now M July 15, 197.8

WE/QEJ amm Apr. 10, 1923;

H, E. OLSEN SNOW MELTING APPARATUS F lled July 15 1918 5 sheets-sheet 5ill Patented Apr. 1G, i923,

entree era":

HALFTEN EUGENE OLSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR, BY ASS (212 MENTS,TO F. C. AUSTIN MACHINERY CDI'KPANY, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIQ.

SNOEV-MELTING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 15,

To all whom it vitog concern:

Be it known that I, HALFTEN EUGENE OL- min, a citizen of the UnitedStates of Amen ica, and resident of Chicago, Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Snow-Melting ripparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention contemplates a vehicle, such as a wagon, having areceptacle in which to receive and melt snow taken from the streets.Ordinarily, the snow on the streets is shoveled into wagons and thencarted away and dumped, This invention, however, contemplates a methodof dispos ing of the snow which will eliminate considerable time andwork and expense, and which involves themelting of the snow and thedischarging of the water resulting therefrom into the sewers. In thisway carting is obviated, except what is necessary to draw the load ofsnow or water to the nearest opening into the sewer; therefore, asstated, there is a considerable saving, as less time and labor arerequired.

To these and other useful ends the invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompany ingdrawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a snow melting wagonembodying the principles of the invention. V

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said wagon.

Fig; 3, is an enlarged detail sectional view of one of the burnersemployed for heating the receptacle to melt the snow.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of said wagon on line 4lt in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a body fraine or chassis 1mounted on frontst'eering wheels 2 and rear wheels 3 of any suitablecharacter. The receptacle is in the form of a trough-shaped box, (seeFig-f4), having outer walls 4: and inner walls 5, spaced apart by meansof angle irons 6, so that vertically disposed recesses 7 are formed inthe hollow sides of the receptacle, these recesses being connectedtogether at their upper ends by the passages 8 in the upper edges ofsaid sides, and communicating at their lower ends with the similarspaces or recesses 9 formed by the transverse I-beams 10, which latterare in alinement with said angle irons. The spaces 1918. semi No.244,999.

or recesses 9, it will be seen, communicate with the combustion chamber11 formed in the bottom of said receptacle, which combustion chamber isenclosed by the side walls 12 and the perforated bottom wall 13, so thata proper chainber is formed for the burners 14. distributed along thepipes 15 which extend for substantially the full length of saidcombustion chamber. These pipes are supported in any suitable or desiredmanner and are connected to the header .6 at the front end of thevehicle, which latter is in turn connected by vertical pipes 17, havingvalves 18, to the gasoline tank 19 mounted directly behind the driversseat 20 at the front end of the wagon. The burners, of course, can be ofany suitable, known, or approved character, such, for example, as theone shown (see Fig. 3), in which a needle valve 21 controls thedischarge of the oil from the nozzle 22, and in which this nozzle issurrounded by a tube 23 forming a combustion chamber 2-1 therein, withopenings 25 around the base of said chamber to admit air. A cup 26islocated belowthe base of the tube 23 for priming purposes, and thebottom of said tube is provided with small openings 27 to permit theoverflow from the nozzle 22 to discharge downwardly into said cup, instarting the burners. This is done by opening one'of the valves 18 and.as soon as the burners are hot the other valve 18 is then opened, tosupplythe full quan 'tity of oil to the burners, which latter arelocated it will be seen, directly below the bottom wall 28 of thebox-like receptacle. It will be understood that the front and rear ends9.9 and 30 of said receptacle can be of any suitable character, and maybe either double or single, as maybe desired.

At its rear end the receptacle thus constructed is provided with anoutlet connection 31 having a valve and a hose-pipe connection 33, sothat the water resulting from the melting of the snow in said recep--tacle can be drained off into the sewer. It will be seen that thisconnection 31 is disposed a distance above the bottom of the receptacle,so that a certain volume of hot water will always be carried in thelower portion of the receptacle. For the purpose of totally draining thereceptacle, another outlet connection 34 is provided at the rear endthereof, below the connection 31, so that when this connection 34: isopened, all of the till water in the receptacle will be dischargedtherefrom.

It will be seen, therefore, that the invention contemplates a method andapparatus for disposing of snow on the streets by melting it inreceptacles and then discharging the water into the sewers. Instead of:carting the snow away, and dumping it at some distance, it is simplymelted on the streets and discharged into the sewers, and in this waylong hauls are unnecessary, as the only trans portation required is thatwhich is necessary to bring the wagon to the nearest opening into thesewer.

lVhen the burners are started, it will be seenthat the heat generated.in the combustion chamber 11 will. enter the spaces 9, and from thelatter will pass upwardly into the soaces or recesses 7 in the hollowsides otthe box or trough-like receptacle, the passages 8 permittingfree circulation of the heat from one compartment or recess to theother, whereby the sides as well as the bottom of the receptacle areheated to thoroughly and quickly melt the snow. The apparatus thusconstructed can be made of any suitable materials, such as heavy sheetiron or steel. The heating instrui'nentalities shown and described aresuitable for the purpose, but it will be understood that theconstruction can be changed or varied to suit the requirements ofdifferent cases, as may be desired, and without departing from thespirit of the invention.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a portable snow-meltingapparatus, the combination of a vehicle, an open top receptacle havingwater-tight and continuous bottom and sides mounted on said vehicle toreceive the snow, instrumentalities for heating the bottom and sides ofsaid receptacle, and means -for drawing off the water resulting from themelting of the snow, said receptacle having a combustion chamber at thebottom thereof, and having double. walls forming separate spaces whichcommunicate with said combustion chamber, the upper ends of said spacescommunicating with each other to provide free circulation of the heat.

2. In a portable snow-melting apparatus, the combination of a vehicle,an open top receptacle having water-tight and continuous bottom andsides mounted on said vehicle to receive the snow, instrumentalh tiesincluding walls substantially parallel with said bottom and sides andforming a heating chamber for heating the bottom and sides of saidreceptacle, and means for drawing off the water resulting from themelting of the snow, said means comprising a valved hose-pipe connectiondisposed a distance above the bottom of the receptacle, so that a volumeof hot water is maintained in said receptacle to receive the snow, andanother outlet to drain off the entire contents of the receptacle.

3. In a vehicle for collecting and melting snow, the combination of anopen-top body having a bottom and sides and ends, a heating chamberbelow said bottom, said body being adapted to receive the snow and holdthe water resulting from the melting thereof, outer walls for applyingthe heat from said chamber to all parts of the sides of said body, sothat the water will be kept heated at any height in said body, and adraw-ofi' for discharging the water from said body.

i. A structure as specified in claim 5, said draw-off being disposed atthe. rear end of the body a distance above said bottom to maintain aquantity of heated water in the body.

5. A structure as specified in claim 5, comprising spacers extendingupwardly between said walls and sides to form spaces for the heat, witha circulating passage connecting the upper ends of said spaces at eachside of the body.

6. A structure as specified in claim 5, in combination with longitudinalmembers extending under said body at opposite sides of said heatingchamber, transverse supporting members for said bottom, resting on saidlongitudinal members, and means for supporting said members on thestreet.

7. A structure as specified in claim 5, and a drain below said draw-offat the rear end of the body.

8. A portable. snow-melting apparatus, comprising a vehicle, atrough-like receptacle mounted on said. vehicle and having spacedand'substantially parallel wall parts forming a heating chambertherebetween. and a plurality of heating devices disposed beneath saidreceptacle and adapted to supply heat to all parts of said chamber.

HALFTEN EUGENE OLSEN.

